Nagato's cold gaze locked onto Ah Fei. His eyes were like blades, filled with silent killing intent—looking at him not as a man, but as a corpse-in-waiting.
Ah Fei stiffened, his pupils shrinking in fear. "Wh-what… what are you planning to do?"
Nagato did not answer. Behind him, the members of the Akatsuki were already itching for blood. At the slightest command, they would lunge forward without hesitation and silence Ah Fei forever.
Seeing this, Ah Fei's voice cracked. "You guys… you're not actually thinking of doing something to me, are you?!"
Nagato's tone was flat, merciless. "Originally, I planned to borrow money from you. But now there's no need." His eyes narrowed. "Go ahead. Leave no one alive."
Ah Fei: "???"
Wait, WHAT?!
All I did was insult you a little, and now you want to kill me?!
"Haha! Chief, you should've done this long ago."
Kakuzu laughed heartily as he rushed forward. In his eyes, Ah Fei sitting there on the office chair wasn't a man—it was walking treasure. If they killed him, all his wealth would be theirs.
Greed surged in Kakuzu's chest. With a hiss, countless black tendrils burst from his body, lashing toward Ah Fei's face like venomous snakes.
This was no bluff. If even one struck, Ah Fei would die instantly.
But before the attack could land, several figures suddenly appeared in front of Ah Fei, intercepting the strike.
"Forgive us, Master Ah Fei—we're late!" Sarutobi Asuma said sternly.
Relief washed over Ah Fei's terrified face. "No, you came just in time! Hurry, stop them!"
Then, in typical fashion, he shoved Xiaoyuer to the ground without a second thought and bolted to the corner, frantically fumbling with a heavy safe.
"One, two, three… twelve of them," Orochimaru muttered, eyes glinting.
Indeed—twelve figures stood firm. Each one radiated the aura of an Elite Jōnin.
Such a lineup startled him briefly, but then he noticed Sarutobi Asuma at the lead. He smiled coldly.
"So, it's the Twelve Guardian Ninjas. I see… Ah Fei must have paid the daimyo quite the fortune to invite you here."
The Guardians ignored Orochimaru's taunt, but it was true. Ah Fei had poured an obscene amount of money into securing their protection.
"Heh. But if you think you can stop us with just this, you're too naïve."
Orochimaru's body blurred—one moment distant, the next right before a Guardian Ninja.
"So fast!"
Before the man could even react, Orochimaru's fist slammed into his abdomen with bone-crushing force.
The ninja folded like a shrimp, gagging and collapsing to his knees, clutching his stomach, completely incapacitated in a single blow.
"Everyone, be careful!" Asuma shouted, horror on his face. He hadn't expected Orochimaru's raw strength to be so terrifying.
The remaining eleven Guardians tightened their stances, wary and grim. They had defended the daimyo for years, but this—this power was on another level.
"Wait… Orochimaru's strength is insane!" Biwa Jūzō blurted. "One punch, and an Elite Jōnin is down?!"
The Akatsuki members froze for a beat before their minds caught up.
Kakuzu swallowed hard. "…Now that you mention it… this is beyond outrageous!"
Scorpion's tone was calm but sharp. "And notice—he isn't even using chakra. This is pure physical strength."
All eyes followed Orochimaru now.
---
Asuma clenched his jaw, his hands forming seals. "Fire Style: Ash Piling—"
But before the jutsu could leave his lips, Orochimaru's form flickered, ghostlike, and he appeared right in front of him.
The Guardians froze in shock. None of them could follow his movement.
Orochimaru's hand shot out, clamping over Asuma's mouth.
Asuma's eyes went wide with terror. He struggled desperately, but Orochimaru's grip was iron. Despair welled up in his chest as he braced for death.
BOOM!
The ash jutsu detonated—inside Asuma's own mouth.
"AAAAGH!!!"
His scream was bloodcurdling. His face shredded into a grotesque mess of blood and burns.
And Orochimaru?
He merely shook his hand. The skin darkened slightly, but he was otherwise unharmed.
With casual disgust, he wiped the blood on Asuma's clothes, then tossed him aside like discarded trash.
Silence. Dead, suffocating silence. Only Asuma's ragged groans broke the air.
"F*ck…" Kakuzu muttered, eyes wide. "That's… that's too much."
The rest of Akatsuki were no better. Their expressions twisted between shock and disbelief. Orochimaru had never been this monstrous before.
What kind of power was this? To shrug off ninjutsu with his body alone?
Orochimaru's lips curled upward. "Heh. This is the power of the sixth level of Foundation Building. And this is only the beginning… I can't imagine how strong I'll be once I reach the Golden Core realm."
Some time ago, Orochimaru had refined a Realm-Breaking Pill. After consuming it, he had vaulted three whole levels in one stroke—from the third stage of Foundation Building to the sixth.
The result was clear: his strength had transformed. Among Akatsuki, only Nagato with his Rinnegan might rival him. And perhaps… soon, not even Nagato would be enough.
---
One by one, the Twelve Guardian Ninjas fell, crushed under Orochimaru's overwhelming power. None could withstand him.
In the corner, Ah Fei finally cracked the safe open, sweating profusely. Hearing silence behind him, he glanced back—and froze in horror.
The Guardians, his expensive investment, lay scattered and broken. All of them.
His body trembled as he whipped back to the safe, fumbling desperately. Just get the treasure, just get the treasure!
But as the safe swung open, his expression collapsed.
Inside the safe… was another safe.
"…"
Even Orochimaru blinked, briefly dumbfounded.
Ah Fei stared, his mind blank. Oh no… I remember now… I had them install decoy safes… to keep thieves away…
Behind him, Akatsuki members approached slowly, watching with a mix of irritation and curiosity.
Click.
Ah Fei opened the second safe.
Inside… another, smaller safe.
A crow cawed somewhere in the distance.
The Akatsuki stood in silence, ellipses practically hanging over their heads.
Ah Fei broke. He slumped to the floor, eyes lifeless. "…Why… why is there another safe?!"
Yet with trembling hands, he kept turning the next dial.
Click.
Another safe.
The room went quiet again.
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